Well, Missouri basketball has let us down at an epic level; none of the state’s five D-1 programs will be participating in any postseason basketball of any kind. And, the way it looks, it might not happen any time soon. Fortunately for us the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions has brought in the best prep players from around the nation and many of those familiar faces will be on the big stage in the coming weeks.
Here are some names and faces that you may recognize:
Malcom Brogdon, Greater Atlanta Christian/Virginia – Brogdon made the All-Tournament Team in the 2011 TofC, setting single-game (21) and tournament (48) records for rebounding, all while finish with 95 points, the fourth most in TofC history. Since then has gone onto stardom at Virginia. The 6-foot-5 guard has scored more than 1,500 points in the last three seasons and guided the Cavs to a 2-seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. He is projected as a second round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Throwback: Malcolm Brogdon slams home a dunk in traffic! #ACCPoYhttps://t.co/J9kTY6K9wT
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 6, 2016
Theo Pinson, Oak Ridge &Wesleyan Christian/North Carolina – Theo Pinson is the only guy to make the TofC All-Tournament Team with two different teams in the last decade (Oak Ridge in 2011 & Wesleyan Christian in 2014). He had a triple-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) in his final game at JQH Arena. These days he’s a sophomore back-up combo guard for UNC, averaging 4.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 3 APG. He’s had some impressive lines off the bench, including seven points, nine rebounds and five assists in a win over tourney-bound Temple.
Derek Willis, Bullitt East/Kentucky – He’s one of the more surprising guys on this list. In the 2013 TofC his Bullitt East team got upset by Austin Ruder and Nixa in the first round. Willis earned All-Tourny honors and has now made a name for himself at Kentucky. The 6-foot-9 junior scored just 41 points in his first two seasons, but has stepped into a meaningful role this year as a stretch-4, including a career-high 25 points in an 80-70 win over Tennessee. He went 7-for-11 from deep in that game and is shooting 44% from 3 on the season.
Tyler Dorsey, St. John Bosco/Oregon – Tyler Dorsey was a sophomore when a loaded St. John Bosco came to Springfield and finished third by beating Nixa 73-63 (he had 22 points and 9 assists in that game). Teammates Daniel Hamilton (UCONN) and Isaac Hamilton (UCLA) got the hype then and have had stellar college careers, but Dorsey might be the best pro prospect. The 6-foot-4 freshman is averaging 13.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG while shooting 43% from deep. He had 23 points and nine rebounds in the PAC-12 championship game and is averaging 20 PPG in his last five games.
Daniel Hamilton, St. John Bosco/UConn – Speaking of Daniel Hamilton, he has been a star for the Huskies since arriving in Storrs. He still doesn’t shoot it very well, but he’s averaging 12.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 4.8 APG. He’s had a triple-double this year and had a monster game in that epic UConn/Cincinnati showdown, finishing with 32-12-8 and AAC Most Outstanding Player honors. At 6-foot-8 with a versatile game, he could be a headache for No. 1 Kansas should UConn beat Colorado in the first round.
Benny Boatwright, Village Christian/USC – They call him and “Bennie Buckets” which is part of the reason he earned All-Tourny honors in the 2014 TofC with Village Christian. He was just a sophomore at the time. The 6-foot-10 freshman has made a major contribution for USC’s tournament team, averaging 11.5 PPG and 5.3 RPG. He’s dropped 23 in a loss to Oregon and scored 22 in a neutral court win against Wichita State. On a team that loves to shoot the 3, he is one of the best, knocking down 58 triples this year.
Dwayne Bacon, Oak Hill/Florida State – Remember when Dwayne Bacon decided he was going to give the Ozarks a tutorial on how to feed people buckets in 2015? Me too. He averaged 31.7 PPG and led Oak Hill to the TofC title. His 95 points in three games in is tied for the fourth highest total in tournament history and more than famed alums such as Brad Beal, Todd Day and Tyler Hansbrough. He has continued that level of play as a freshman at Florida State, averaging 15.6 PPG and 5.6 RPG for the Noles, including 11 games of at least 20 points. FSU will be in the NIT, so if you’re bored on a weeknight check out No. 4. He's also projected as a first round pick.
Juwan Morgan, Waynesville/Indiana – This is a name we know well in the Ozarks. The 4-star prospect has gotten some time as a true freshman for the Hoosiers, taking on a blue collar role. Announcers have raved about Morgan’s ability to defend multiple positions and his willingness to make hustle plays. He had five points and five rebounds in the Hoosiers’ Big 10 championship-clinching win over Iowa. In the 2015 TofC he averaged 13 PPG and 6.7 RPG despite laboring through a knee injury.
Ivan Rabb, Bishop O’Dowd/California – Rabb was regarded as one of the best bigs to ever come to the TofC and didn’t disappoint with his 20 PPG and 13 RPG in his three-day stay in 2015. Rabb has not disappointed at Cal either. Considered a lottery pick in this year’s draft, the 6-foot-11 freshman has helped lead the Bears to a 4-seed with 12.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 1.2 BPG for Cuonzo Martin’s team. He’s shooting a blistering 62% from the field and has 11 double-doubles, including 21 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in Thursday’s win over Oregon State.
Ivan Rabb continues to show more and more of his offensive repertoire each and every game. Mid-range Js key for him pic.twitter.com/0Euiy5gyaF
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) March 12, 2016
Devin Williams, Montverde Academy/West Virginia – Williams played on the first Montverde team that came to Springfield and got upset by Paul VI thanks to current Minnesota guard Kevin Dorsey’s buzzer-beater. Williams wasn’t an afterthought, but people talked more about his teammates such as D’Angelo Russell (NBA), Dakari Johnson (NBA) and Kasey Hill (Florida). Williams has turned himself into an All-Big 12 player for Bobby Huggins, averaging 13.3 PPG and 9.3 RPG. He’s had 15 double-doubles this year, including 31 and 10 against Kansas on Saturday. He should return to WVU for his senior year, which could see him move into the top five all-time in scoring and rebounding in program history.
ICYMI: Devin Williams with a monster dunk following a missed shot and offensive rebound! https://t.co/h1Y2UOs4mh
— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) March 11, 2016
Ben Simmons, Montverde Academy/LSU – Everyone remembers this guy coming to JQH Arena and averaging a double-double as part of Montverde’s 2014 title team. He was the top player in his class and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 freshman is averaging 19.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG and 4.8 APG. His team under achieved and it is believed that they won’t play in any postseason tournaments, but Simmons may go down as the best to ever come to Springfield.
Franklin Howard, Paul VI/Syracuse – He was a sophomore when Paul VI came and upset Montverde Academy in the championship game. He averaged 13.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4 APG in 2015 when the Panthers came back to Springfield in 2015. The 6-foot-4 freshman has found his way into Jim Boeheim’s rotation as a back-up combo guard because of his ability to facilitate without turning the ball over.
Chris Chiozza, White Station/Florida – The 6-foot guard was the definition of a true point guard for White Station, leading the Spartans to a runner-up finish in 2014 and nabbing All-Tourny honors. He decided to attend Florida, along with TofC alum Kasey Hill, and Chiozza has played at a high level, finishing sixth in the SEC in assists. He’s averaging 7.2 PPG and 4.3 APG and his Gators will be in the NIT.
Unreal dribble move and alley-oop from Florida's Chris Chiozza #FloridaGators #UF #ChrisChiozza https://t.co/5mUMkACXFE
— The Ledge (@TheLedgeSports) February 4, 2016
Justin Bibbs, Montverde Academy/Virginia Tech – He was another forgotten guy on a loaded Montverde team, but he has been really good for the Hokies. Unfortunately they’re going to the NIT, but Bibb will still get a chance to show why he’s scored nearly 800 points in just two seasons. He’s averaging 12.1 PPG and shooting the lights out with team-highs in 3-point makes (74) and percentage (47%). He is one of the nation’s best 3-point specialists.
